The Romanians
by Cheesecake44
Summary: Short stories on Vladimir and Stefan.
1. Alo

**In case of translating the two Romanian words, it was Google and I'm sorry if it's wrong.**

**Enjoy.**

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**Alo**

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"...If your mom pisses you off, you don't want to tear her head off."

All the wolves simultaneously stiffened as they all caught a good old whiff of, yet again, more vampires; two more in fact, but the air around them...

And the smell of human blood...?

It was almost overwhelming.

Jacob felt the Cullen's tense up as they too felt the outsiders approach and he then knew...

"Whoever they are they weren't invited." Jacob growled and phased in an instant.

He snarled and ran in the two vampire's direction, determined to stop them getting anywhere near the house. His newly phased, small pack followed growling as they went after Jake, following his lead, although clumsily bumping into each other as they were not used to running as a pack, nor were they very fast.

Jacob caught up with them fast enough but the new pups had been left in the dust. The two vampires were a blur of blonde, almost white, and brown; both wearing black, neither of them was very tall but what stood out was as they were being chased, they were grinning, laughing as though they were having the time of their lives.

This infuriated Jake more as he made a mad snap of the back of the brunette who turned to glance round for a split second, a wide playful smirk on his face. The other copied his actions and Jacob caught sight of same expression that the other had. He made another bite at them but all that did was prompt the dark haired one to leap up in the trees. Jake made one last quick dart towards the blonde one before he could escape but missed.

He followed them into a clearing and they began jumping, leaping from one tree to another, like grasshoppers, in a circle around his head. It was a vaguely intimidating-like tactic; to disorientate him.

Jacob barked angrily and snapped at the air as he followed their motions round and around until, he heard a yelp and out the corner of his eye he saw one of the pups come tumbling towards him and the others fell in a similar fashion; too busy looking at the vampires to watch where their own paws were going.

The pack fell to the ground in an undignified heap.

The vampires laughed loudly at the sight of four dogs piled up, they leaped down from the trees with a grace only the undead could manage; the dark one somersaulting from a tree branch and the other back flipped and made a twist in the air so when he landed he was facing the pack. Jacob was on back on his feet the moment their's touched the ground.

"Hopa!" **(Oops) **The brunette laughed at them and the other smirked as they stood for a moment; surveying their handy work of three pups, still de-tangling themselves from each other, and made to sit back on a fallen log in a lazy, laid back manner.

"Alo," **(Hello)**The blonde one drawled with a heavy accent at them as the wolves stalked back to their feet, humiliated at their clumsiness.

The brunette's smiled went wider at his partner's word and whistled at the pack as though they were mere dogs.

Jacob bared his teeth at the one who dared make fun of he and his pack, he didn't know whatever the vampire had said and it didn't matter. They were sat there like the pack was no threat!

The blonde and Jacob's eyes locked and the vampire smiled, puckered up his lips and made a sort of 'kissy' noise at him; as though to catch the attention of a cat.

Jake bristled indignantly.

What was _that_?!

Didn't matter now, Carlisle and the others were here.

"Vladimir. Stefan. You're a long way from home..."

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	2. Newborn Annoyance

**Enjoy.**

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**Newborn annoyance**

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If Boris was here right now he'd be making jolly old remarks about the birds in the sky and meaningfully talking about the finer things in life.

Laurent snorted at the thought and put the memories of his maker away, he got annoying quickly even in memory.

It was a crisp, clear day with overhanging clouds and an odd restless feeling in the, otherwise gloomy, heavy air. Laurent had been travelling in the countryside for a good few years now, still looking, searching for something or someone else to catch his attention.

He had heard stories of powerful vampires and that is all he wanted for himself, to see them and to learn from them. Wasn't so much to ask, except he wasn't sure where to look, then again it wasn't like he had a deadline, he had all the time in the world to wander at his leisure.

The dark skinned man stopped running and jogged to a stop atop a small cliff and surveyed the area with abysmal interest until-

There!

A scent, a feeling in the air.

Felt agitated and..?

Power...

Who _was _that?

It was faded but it had a feel of old, pure power, something ancient and long ago. Laurent wanted more, he sensed another vampire with the other but it didn't feel the same and so was unimportant.

Without another thought he leaped off the cliff.

The two Romanian's had already known Laurent was there. Vladimir was in the mood for a fight and was the only reason as to why he was stood waiting for this newcomer to appear. Stefan was quietly twitchy; both of their tempers were thin that day due to being chased by a few territorial vampires as they passed through their land.

Since they were attempting to fade into obscurity for a while until they could gather their numbers, or the Volturi weakened or was challenged, they had not fought but had outran them easily but that was not something to be proud of to them, running from fights annoyed them both greatly.

They hated to run.

This vampire was clearly a newborn, so painstakingly obvious because he had not even sensed them, the two old ones had even glimpsed him as he ran past them at one point, they had both sneered at his lack of awareness and Vladimir had sarcastically waved at the oblivious Laurent as he passed them by, making Stefan smirk in amusement.

The newborn was on his own.

No ties to anyone.

No one following him or nearby and now he was heading towards the two Romanians.

Fine by them.

Vladimir's mouth spread into a feral smile at the possibility of a fight and, as though they were attached, Stefan immediately felt less irritated and more ready to leap into whatever fray was thrown at them.

Laurent stopped abruptly in a dense forest, a few hundred yards from them, two set of red eyes gazing straight at him, waiting... And for a few split seconds he was uneasy but it was swept aside when he felt the power still clinging to...

...Him!

The blonde one.

"If you thought we would welcome you..." Vladimir spoke showing his heavy accent.

"...Then you thought wrong." Stefan gave a small smirk as he finished the sentence.

"You," Laurent ignored their taunting words and nodded at Vladimir. "Who are you?"

Vladimir, if anything, was more amused and tutted at him, as one would do an impolite child.

"Well, that was rude." He tilted his head to Stefan, his smile widening. "Especially to you, Stefan."

Stefan glanced at Vladimir; he had not actually taken any offense, and so he grinned amusedly.

"You're practically radiating power," Laurent interrupted. "Who are you?"

Both burgundy sets of eyes drifted back to him, unnervingly.

"Ahh," Vladimir chuckled at Laurent's naivety. "I'd say the newborn wishes to know strength."

"Too bad," Stefan had had enough.

He did not like being in one place for too long, not to mention constantly running from the Volturi scouters and other vampires themselves, this newborn was making him tense. And neither, Stefan nor Vladimir liked being tense.

Vladimir sensed this and readied himself to tear apart this foolish man, his expression grew more serious yet he retained his excited smile.

Laurent felt the tides turn and quickly tried to save himself.

"Wait. Can I-"

"No," Stefan interrupted. "You cannot join us."

"What is it? Three is a crowd?" Vladimir joked causing Stefan to snort at his words.

Laurent looked visibly annoyed at the way he was being treated and, truth be told, he had not stopped bristling indignantly the moment they had called him a newborn although he had pushed his temper down.

Vladimir's smiled vanished completely and he looked at Laurent.

The power seemed stronger now.

"Get out of here, we're not ones to be merciful but we have other things to occupy ourselves with than a power hungry newborn." Vladimir spoke quietly but words held promise of anger and violence and...

And...

...And that tantalizing power that attracted Laurent to their location in the first place.

Silence descended.

Laurent was on edge, he heard four birds take off suddenly; wings flapping, a few feathers came loose and drifted to the mossy forest floor, some greenery and bark had flecked off the tree on their flight. No more noise was heard and it was more unnerving that way, their eyes burrowing into him. They were not going to change their minds.

They were nothing like Boris...

Fine then. Just a washed up older vampire.

Laurent thought sullenly.

But the taste of it...

...Of authority, control, rule, strength, supremacy, decadence and the power of having it all.

Laurent could taste it all!

He did not want to surrender, in any way, shape or form, and so did not move however Vladimir and Stefan had seemingly felt they had wasted enough time with him and the former gave a soft, derisive snort in his direction, followed by Stefan giving him a dead pan stare, they both then turned and left in a blur of movement.

As though he was no threat!

The Frenchman absolutely _refused_ to give up so easily.

He had tailed them from a distance for four days until they stopped running and waited, once more, for him to catch up, however Laurent could practically taste the annoyance, pent up anger and readiness to fight. This time they would kill him, they were in no mood.

The blonde vampire had power._ 'Had'_ as in no longer. Dying for power that was fading was not worth it.

Laurent ceased chasing them and stood.

He could see them, however far away they were and they could see him. Across the moor they were on, open ground, foggy but it did not impede them.

His eyes connected to Stefan's and drifted to Vladimir's who gave such an intense, feral like grin at him that Laurent thought he was just going to charge straight at him. Laurent had never been in a fight with another vampire before, let alone two that were both stronger than him.

Just a fading power. I can find another, one that is growing.

His mind made up Laurent turned and headed away. His movements quick and full of adrenaline, as though they might chase him, however after a good few miles in the opposite direction from them, he felt the two Romanians finally start to move off once more.

Laurent grumbled to himself.

Complete waste of time.

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	3. Vengeance

**Enjoy.**

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**Vengeance**

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"The red coats are coming. The red coats are coming..."

The words were muttered but to all vampire ears it was crystal clear and, if anything, it made them all the more tense and on edge, all except Vladimir and Stefan; who stood with their eyes glued to the approaching Volturi.

Vladimir couldn't stop an excited grin at the prospect of finally, finally getting revenge. He could feel the exhilaration coming from Stefan in waves but he knew without looking that his partner was smiling at the same thought.

There they were, the black and red sea parted to show Aro, Caius, Marcus, Jane and Alec.

They never wanted to rip someone apart so much! To kill them, kill all of them, for vengeance, for their coven, for their mates and for everything they once had.

It would be sweet.

So sweet.

Aro's eyes searched through them all, Vladimir and Stefan heard Edward mumble to his newborn mate that the Italian was looking for Alice, whoever that was they cared not. But there was a brief moment where Aro's eyes hovered over the Romanians longer than the others and his eyes narrowed, a small crease of annoyance and irritation aimed at them.

It made Vladimir's smile bigger.

Stefan chuckled quietly.

How honoured; the Volturi elite remembered them.

The talking they half listened to; for their eyes were forward, senses were sharpened and they waited, waited for the fight that would happen. The Volturi would never back down.

After the initial surprise at another Cullen appearing, the aforementioned Alice they both presumed, another shock happened.

An absolutely delightful one.

This girl.

Dropkicked Aro in the face!

For a split second Vladimir wanted to point and laugh however the shock had caught him, such a sight he never expected to witness. All heads moved to watch the Volturi leader as he flew up and backwards, Jane's expression one of shock and a vague notion of worry; her brother's face mirrored her own.

Vladimir's eyes were wide with such glee at the sight. Stefan's mouth was slightly open in amazed delight at the turn of events. And then, Aro caught himself in mid air and flipped under and landed gracefully and it was in that instant, everything that the two Romanians had been waiting for; for over a millennium.

The expression of veiled anger on Aro's face was unbecoming.

The girl was obviously grabbed and yet they made no move to destroy her as they normally would do with someone as rash as her, another 'gifted' one it seemed, would be collected.

Carlisle ran forward, screaming.

Stefan and Vladimir had leaped forward from where they were, no longer at the back of the crowd but at the front. They would fight, it was clear to see now and they wanted to be at the front of the line when it happened.

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**Please review and Merry Christmas x **


	4. Even Romanians celebrate

**Enjoy everyone.**

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**Even Romanians celebrate**

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"Well, its Christmas," Carlisle smiled warmly at all the covens in the living room and raised a glass. "Please everyone, friends; I thank you all once more."

There was tinsel and other bright decorations hug everywhere, and a tree with baubles with a star atop it and lights flashing. Everything was tastefully done and for once not gone overboard, as it is usually Alice who goes decoration mad.

"Merry Christmas everyone," Esme hugged her husband as the rest of the covens each drank their blood, donated from a hospital of course, from their glasses and chatted to one another; sharing yet more stories about Christmases and how they celebrated and once-upon-a-times and how-it used-to-be's.

A warm and happy atmosphere did not permeate where two lone vampires sat, somewhat isolated, in the corner of the room as though there was an invisible wall around them. They did not chat warmly about such times, but sat and observed the others.

"Odd, at how carefree they seem..." Stefan murmured to his partner.

"They're young," Vladimir answered disinterestedly. "They'll learn."

"That life is not all roses?" He raised an eyebrow.

Vladimir smiled humourlessly.

"Here," Came a soft voice.

Both Romanians glanced up as Esme stood before them holding two more glasses of blood, she smiled at them both in a friendly manner. It was obvious from the sight of her she wasn't a fighter, she acted like a mother figure from what they have both seen of her so far, she was polite and courteous and they had no problem with her.

To most women they were polite and civil, except to those they were killing of course.

"I know you're both not used to this but," She paused to smile awkwardly in her usual pleasant and welcoming manner. "You're both with us so you should drink with us."

They saw it coming but it they both felt a pang of sadness; they once had this. Granted it was different back when they ruled but they once had a coven who cared, who fed and celebrated together decadently.

Esme must of seen their expressions turn into grief and melancholy because she quickly apologized and enquired if they were both okay.

Vladimir and Stefan barely heard her as they both took their glasses from her, Esme was not expecting it and looked surprised, Vladimir nodded courteously and Stefan raised his glass to her; both smiled as they silently thanked her.

She recovered and smiled back happily; the corner of her eyes creasing with genuine pleasure.

They both elegantly sipped out of the champagne glasses.

She was right; it wasn't the same but it was a nice gesture on her part.

"Vladimir, Stefan?"

They looked back to her.

"Merry Christmas." With one last beaming expression at the two oldest in the room, she made her way back to her mate.

No words were said as they both took another swallow of blood and in the spirit of the moment; Stefan turned to Vladimir and brought his glass forward, Vladimir noticed what he was doing and smirked.

Their glasses chinked together in cheers.

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**Just a small tidbit, I want them to be happy lol. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year; I hope you all have fun xx**


	5. Alliance

**Enjoy.**

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**Alliance**

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"When we ruled, everything came to us; prey, diplomats, favour seekers... Such was our power," Vladimir paused, showing a hint of the once decadent and proud personality with a raise of his head before he lowered his gaze to the floor. "But we never put on white hats and called ourselves saints."

Jacob took in their words; they were vampires and they let everyone know it, but they ruled and lorded themselves over humans and their own kind alike. He thought them odd, but both were refreshingly honest. Almost traditional vampires, how everyone thinks they should be.

Both Romanians looked downcast as they reminisced their dark and overconfident days.

"We were honest about what we were." Stefan explained with a truthful smile.

The faces of the other young vampires were unmoving with the flames of the fire lighting each face differently; they all listened intently, silently in awe at the two oldest among them and how much the Romanians had see in all their years.

"We sat still, for a very long time..." Vladimir looked at Stefan. "We didn't notice we were beginning to petrify."

Stefan glanced back at him; his expression solemn as their eyes met and their memories of shock they had felt at their paler appearance gathered in their heads.

"Perhaps the Volturi did us a favour when they...burned our castles." He smiled humourlessly, obviously thinking and meaning the exact opposite.

"We've been waiting fifteen hundred years, to return that favour." Vladimir tilted his head, a serious glint in his eye at the message, once more the proud ruler he had been long ago.

Jacob nodded quietly, understanding the need for revenge.

He surveyed the scene; the Romanian's telling their story, everyone sat around, mesmerised by their tale of battles, the years and their heritage.

"We have been waiting to battle for ages." Vladimir continued.

"We ran instead, as to hide ourselves from Volturi eyes." Stefan finished.

Jake found it funny how they finished each other's sentences. 'Dracula one and two' the nicknames certainly fit, he felt to the urge to ask whether or not they were the causes of Dracula aka: Vlad the Impaler alongside _Stefan Báthory of Transylvania_.

Could be, given how old they were.

Jacob mulled it over as the Romanians continued talking and they were now enthusiastically discussing tactics of killing certain members of the Volturi; complete with eye gouging detail and sadistic smirks.

It couldn't just be coincidence with their names, nationality and ages.

"The Volturi will not take well to there being many of us opposed to them, not in any matter." Stefan smiled at the thought.

"And we shall be ready to fight." Vladimir smiled back at Stefan.

Serious celebrities were among them if they were true...

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	6. Children do wonder

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**Children do wonder**

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Nessie was a curious child; she had grown quickly but her wondrous curiosity that all children have she still possessed, a rare thing that sometimes reminded people her actual age despite appearances.

Stefan and Vladimir were sat on the couch in the living room when she had first padded in and plonked herself quietly across from them on the floor; cross legged with a book. For once the 'dog' was not by her side and for that they slightly disappointed; it was fun to cause annoyance so easily to the weak minded, however her mother was stood in the doorway watching her, it seemed to be what the newborn did the most; just watch her daughter.

"Vladimir? Stefan?"

Her small voice rose to the Romanians ears; like a coo of a dove. They stopped gazing at the wall and gave their attention to the half breed child.

Ness shuffled to face them; her small round, porcelain face was the complete epitome of innocence.

"Why is your skin paler then everyone else's?" She asked politely.

It was obvious from her mother's reaction that she thought it was a rude question, they supposed it could be if they felt it so, however it was a child who asked this question and did not mean any offense by it, she probably wouldn't even understand why if they did.

Vladimir and Stefan smiled at the inquisitive girl.

"We sat still once; for a long time, child." Vladimir answered honestly.

Stefan doubted she even knew vampires could petrify but it was of no concern to them, they were both nothing if not honest. As they always had been.

"We didn't realise at first that it was happening," Stefan started.

Renesmee looked confused so he tried to think of a different way to explain.

"You see, when vampires sit still for a long time we start to..."

Maybe she did not know what petrify means?

"Turn to marble, so to say," Vladimir had the same idea.

"Our skin turned paler, as we sat inside for thousands of years, unmoving."

"Don't you need to drink blood?" Renesmee questioned quietly, her eyes wide with wonder as her mind showed their words in picture form.

"Prey was delivered to us; we barely had to move to just drink."

"Our skin is hardened, crystallized as vampires; extended years of life and along with that if we do not move and stay inside..."

"Imagine a statue gathering a layer of dust over time, only you can't just wipe it off."

Nessie nodded, understanding what they meant now.

"The Volturi elders also sat still for centuries, some still do and so their eyes are lighter."

"Almost pink..." Bella said quietly, mostly to herself.

The Romanians nodded at her input.

"The only reason ours are not the same is because we had no choice to move as they burned our castles with us within," Stefan raised an ironic eyebrow and glanced at Vladimir to continue.

"Stefan and I, at least, may share the same skin as them but our eyes... The Volturi's eyes are filled with dusty scum, but ours are bright. I imagine that will give us an advantage when we gouge theirs from their sockets." Vladimir smirked brightly.

Bella leaped into action.

"Okay Nessie, bed time!" She sang hurriedly; rustling her daughter up from the floor and shooing her to the door, Bella turned back to give a look of warning, for saying such things to a small child, at Vladimir and Stefan.

"Goodnight," Nessie waved to them both.

They both smiled in response as she was ushered from the room.

Silence...

"Did I say something wrong?" Vladimir tilted his head to look at Stefan, who did the same.

Both grinned at one another.

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**Please review and have a Happy New Year.**


	7. Holiday snack

**Enjoy.**

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**Holiday snack**

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"3, 2, 1..."

A pale and black blur flashed from a dark alley and grabbed an unfortunate passerby from the crowd of people who had gathered outside to rejoice in the light of fireworks. The man did not even have the time to scream when he was bitten into, all that was heard was a moan of pain that was too quiet to be heard above mass of humans.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

The man was left dangling in his arms as Vladimir stayed in a crouch to watch as people kissed and celebrated. Fireworks flashing red, green, blue and white; each colour illuminating up Vladimir's ageless, marble-like face as he licked his cold lips and swallowed the last of the blood. His eyes a dark burgundy-red and held no remorse or mercy.

He glanced up at all the mortals, still cheering, and sneered and shook his head.

"Vladimir."

The vampire turned.

"Stefan." He returned, smiling, matter-of-factly. "Should we wish each other a happy holiday?"

Stefan huffed in amusement. "We have been through many holidays; I don't think wishes aid much for us."

Vladimir picked up the corpse easily with one arm; Stefan had moved to open a dumpster for him as the blonde threw it in. No one had even noticed that less than fifteen feet from them, someone had died.

"A holiday snack?" Stefan question light-heartedly.

Vladimir smiled back in good humour.

"I suppose it was, come." He started down another alley. "A holiday calls for a feast, does it not?"

"I am famished." Stefan followed. "And how nice it would be to eat by the glow of the fireworks."

As though to collaborate his words; a firework spun over head of the alley and illuminated them both and a stray cat that had wandered into the scene and had stopped to clean itself on top of the very dumpster that now was occupied; it lifted it's back leg up with the grace of a ballerina and licked.

Vladimir idly scratched its head as he passed by. The cat lifted its head to sniff curiously at the strangers and looked at Stefan as he went to stroll past the feline.

Stefan lazily tickled it under the furry chin with a casual air, as though two violent vampires killed people and stroked cats, bathed in the light of fireworks all the time.

As both departed elsewhere to find more victims with the holiday spirit, the cat jumped down and trotted off after them happily, twining around their legs when they both stopped at a fork in the alley.

A couple of drunk teenagers had gathered at the entrance of a disused doorway and one was promptly bringing back up whatever vile concoction she had knocked back into her system.

The Romanians looked at one another.

"We could share?" Vladimir chuckled.

"It is a holiday." Stefan could only agree with a smile.

The cat received another scratch round the ears from Vladimir before he stood upright, and made his way towards his 'feast'. Stefan, ignored the cat completely now and laughed openly as the teenagers struggled to even see with their drunken eyes who was approaching them.

No screams were heard as the girl who was vomiting, didn't realise her two friends behind her were dead in an instant and that she was next.

A body hit the floor and a rather loud crack was heard from the dead boy's skull.

"Opa..." (**Oops)**. Stefan said sarcastically.

Vladimir snorted with humor. "Clumsy."

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**Happy New Year everyone xxx**


	8. Loss

**Enjoy.**

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**Loss**

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Vladimir and Stefan lay in wait, their trap was ready.

They had created an army to take back what was rightfully theirs, the Volturi would not stop them this time; too many battles had ended in the Italians favour and the Romanians had felt enough losses. The plan was to attack them in an ambush; they would not expect it and retreat to spread the field from higher ground, bottle necked in by the narrow path and so would head straight towards the only two coven leaders left.

Stefan crouched in a tree; his face one of calm rage as he stared at the point where they would appear. Vladimir casually glanced at him, he wondered if Stefan would make some form of suicidal attack. He had lost his mate after all. Vladimir wouldn't blame him if he did.

The blonde Romanian vaguely thought about his own mate and if she would be okay on the front lines of attack, he brushed the thought aside however; she could look after herself, she was a capable fighter and he needed to focus and be ready.

Stefan's thoughts were clouded; an intense and blinding hatred that was so strong it made him focus forcefully. He wanted to destroy everything around him but he focussed it towards the ones that needed to pay for killing his mate. Her face; pale and flawless, eyes as red as his own, her voice he would never hear again, her touch...

The urge to scream rose within Stefan but he pushed it down and concentrated on what needed to be done. He was going to avenge her.

The forest was silent, too silent.

Both waited for thirty minutes until they realised something must have gone wrong.

No words were spoken or needed as Vladimir immediately thought of his mate and he leaped from the tree and raced towards where the ambush was meant to have been. Stefan had moved the moment Vladimir had and was sprinting alongside him; his thoughts were of anger; if they had lost more of their coven? Lost their chance of revenge?

They saw and smelt everything before they had gotten to the now waste land of bodies, littered everywhere. A few were of Volturi but not many.

All of their newborns...

It was still quiet, neither sight nor sound of the Italians. Just the small low whistle of a breeze shifting over the battle field; where only two figures stood amongst the remains of chaos.

Vladimir was looking frantically around him, searching and Stefan looked at him in confusion before suddenly remembering Vladimir's mate was here, somewhere. He felt a wave of, what he supposed was, empathy for him.

The dark haired vampire turned and looked over the hundreds of new recruits they had made, all potential lost, when a girl caught his eye.

Stefan bowed his head.

"Vladimir." He stated but did not move to look at him.

Said vampire reacted to his name and looked at the back of Stefan for a second or two; waiting for him to speak, before looking at where he supposed Stefan was facing and he saw her.

He was there in a flash, at her side as she lay, fallen.

He knelt and at first seemed unsure of what to do; hands unsure of whether to touch her, punch something, scream in anguish or rage, he did not know. Finally Vladimir leaned over her and rested his forehead against hers.

He was not a very affectionate man, especially not with other eyes watching but when alone with her... Sweet words he could say and a brush of her face with the back of his fingers, smiling at her.

"My love..."

His love, his one true love, his soul mate, his wife, his mate!

The sorrow and pain hit him all at once and for a split, dizzying few seconds Vladimir actually thought he could cry as a human would. How could he live without her? He wanted her back! Anything, he'd give anything to make her sit up and smile at him or stroke his cheek lightly with her fingertips, she was gone. Forever!

Hard to explain the hollowness he felt, hands shaking, knowing he'd lost her and done nothing to help but sat waiting for an ambush that would never come. Alone for all eternity without her but with the guilt and knowledge that he did _nothing!_

Vladimir had a sudden mad thought of standing and charging at Stefan, start a fight and make the other rip his head off so he could be with her once more, or at the very least he wouldn't feel anything but then...

Then the rage came.

Vladimir had been angry before but this...

He wanted lives, he wanted screams, he wanted to bring suffering and death to those that had taken her from him.

After what seemed a long and silent moment; Vladimir stood. Stefan's emotions were a mix of anger, sympathy and in a strange way; elation. He felt joy because he knew Vladimir would join him for vengeance and their revenge would be satisfying, both needed their retribution.

Stefan could hear the grass rustle under Vladimir's feet as he turned to look at him; his expression was now like Stefan's before: furious yet composed.

"My friend," Vladimir spoke lowly, eyes fixed onto Stefan's who gazed back; exhilaration rising. "The Volturi owe us their lives."

"How many attempts have we given to overthrow them?" Stefan said as fought down the need to join his coven friend in his anger. "We must have a better plan."

Vladimir heard his words, knew it would be suicidal if he mindlessly attacked the Italians now, he would not avenge his wife if he died, he had to think and he had to be calm.

It was hard though, holding back madness for rational thought; his silent heart screamed at him to kill them but his head was logical. Fight another day, wait, bide your time until the enemy is weak, everyone has a weakness and they both had all the time in the world to wait for one to show itself.

Hands shaking as he controlled his fury. Vladimir nodded as plans and schemes ran through his head at what their next move could be.

"We wait."

Stefan nodded and laid a hand on the blonde's shoulder, as though to steady him in thoughts. It was a comfort; to know that someone had felt the pain he was feeling now. Vladimir fought the urge to look back at her on the floor; if he did he knew he would crumble again.

He needed to be strong once more.

"Wait for them to grow weak."

The steps they walked, away from the battle field were full of determination and purpose.

They were patient.

They were good at waiting and the prize at the end would be most satisfactory.

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	9. Waning Patience

**Enjoy.**

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**Waning Patience**

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It was frustration and the helpless, useless feeling that came along side it, of course to any mortal it would look like Vladimir and Stefan had so much patience considering the many, many years it took for any of their anger to resurface since the loss of their home and mates. However vampires have all the time in the world to brood over things and this amount of time to them was nothing, to each other; it didn't seem like they were patient at all.

The Volturi usually send a few of their men after them every few decades or so; it became a sort of tradition, like clockwork and always around the same time. Of course they always ran so as to keep themselves off the map to their Italian enemies.

And it was at this particularly junction in time, after they had evaded their enemy trackers once more for another decade, that they had had enough.

They had stopped near a small village and were sat on a crudely made bench, contemplating and watching the bustle of mortals around them.

"I find my patience-"

"Waning. As is mine, Stefan," Vladimir finished his friend's sentence.

He was resting his elbows on his knees as he disinterestedly observed human behaviour and the routine of their daily lives; he had seen all of this before.

"How much longer must we wait," Vladimir muttered to himself even as he heard his own words from the past declaring they would wait for however long it would take for the Volturi to show weakness or to be challenged.

"It is irrational; we both know this but..." Stefan sat back against a wooden wall of a house that classed as the back of the bench and looked grumpy.

"But it is a very," Vladimir looked moodily at the mud on his shoes. "Very long time."

They had waited and waited; fed, waited, ran, waited, ran out of conversation and waited, attempted some form of hobby they could do to past the time but got bored and waited.

They both felt weary and tired. They wanted vengeance but the years had taken its mental toll.

It had been eight hundred years since the last battle, since they realized they were the only two left and from then they had travelled all around Romania, re-travelling every few hundred or so years to discover new things that had arrived in the future.

Some children ran out of the village, laughing and joking with one another, into the forest that surrounded the village.

"We could get some dinner I suppose," Vladimir wondered out loud, eyes unenthusiastically following the kids trail through the trees.

Stefan simply grunted at his half hearted proposal.

Another five minutes had dragged on and with it more weary boredom; Vladimir had been about to force himself up to go feed on those children for the sake of having _something_ to do when something caught his eye in the far distance.

Almost as though he had read his mind; Stefan's head whipped to look to their right.

Another Volturi tracker?!

Looks like they had broken tradition to catch them off guard.

Stefan felt minor annoyance but he supposed it was a good thing in a way; some form of excitement at least. Vladimir was mostly irritated that they had been taken by surprise; the tracker was only a few miles away!

"I am getting agitated," Stefan spoke through gritted teeth.

"Let us leave then," Vladimir answered.

They both stood and strode casually and calmly to the opposite side of the village, away from the tracker, and towards another exit/entrance past the fence the mortals had built around their homes. Keeping out of the eyes of the Volturi also meant hiding their presence from mere mortals as well, was almost laughable at the memories of how they used to rule them, of how something like the two of them were walking to freely among them and the humans had no idea how easily-

No. Keeping tempers and patience in check, thinking of such things now will not help.

Moment they had left the village and entered the forest and were away from prying eyes, a burst of supernatural speed and they were gone, running as fast as they could.

Stefan turned to glance back at their 'friend' as they ran from him.

Ah, they had sent Demetri again.

He was an exceptionally good tracker, a gift obviously so, however he could find the last remaining Romanians but it certainly did not mean he could catch them.

Two days of constant running, tire none of them did, at least they were getting some exercise Vladimir had concluded thoughtfully however Stefan was simply not in the mood for any of this.

Vladimir was prone to grinning happily in a fight or when chasing or chased as he loved the action, the fight and the movement, Stefan was more liable to slow down and take a more scholarly-like interest in whatever his surroundings were at the time, not to say he too did not love a good fight and Vladimir was a fan of good literature, was simply to say out of the two of them; Vladimir was wanting to be more active.

Maybe not to a mortal but that is because of the lack of time they have and vampires do have.

It was odd but it was like over the years they spent together in each other's company, they had gained the others quirks; tone of voice, habits, sense of humour and so on. Most of the time they didn't even need to speak and one knew the other's thoughts anyway.

It was the fourth day, around noon, that Demetri stopped following. Most likely had gotten bored and fed up from being too far away from getting anywhere close to attack and the Romanians had not made any mistake or slip up to allow him near.

Stefan could tell the attempts from the Volturi were getting less and less in number but also in passion, and as much as it bristled his indignation at the thought that they were not much of a threat to be bothered with.

He mentioned this to Vladimir as Demetri ran back in the other direction and it prompted narrowed eyes and a blank expression.

"We need to eat," Vladimir's words showed no emotion.

Stefan did not regret his earlier statement as it was honest, they had both, silently, agreed to never lie, to never be like the Italians, hence why Vladimir had not said anything back about his coven leader and friend's words.

It was probably a lucky thing that neither of them had been turned when they were younger; Vladimir had been a young man of twenty eight and Stefan had been forty, of course neither of them looked very old anyway thanks to their ageless venom running through them. If they had been hot headed teenagers that might have been a trait to have been frozen forever within them, neither of them would have the patience and calmness they had now.

As though to negate Stefan's thoughts, right on cue they passed by a dog that had wandered from another village that was less than a mile from them. Vladimir gave it a swift and gentle (for a vampire) kick to the rump as he ran by the German shepherd causing the dog to run yelping through the trees.

It was enough to make them both grin.


	10. Games

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**Games**

* * *

It had been out of sheer boredom, despite the anticipation for what lay ahead in a few meagre days, that Stefan had indulged the young hybrid girl, Nessie, with a simple human game that required one person to lay their hands on the other persons hands and the person whose hands are on the bottom attempt to slap the other whilst, obviously the other tries to avoid getting hit.

She won.

Stefan did not know how. And at the first win Vladimir, who had been stood smiling at the childishness of it all, looked rather surprised, just a flicker before he came to the conclusion that his dear friend had let the young girl win.

Stefan did not want to admit that he hadn't and he felt no annoyance at having lost as he chalked it up to not knowing the game and therefore had not moved fast enough, now he knew what to do and he already knew to be careful with his strength against the girl.

Nessie giggled happily as Stefan laid his hands out and forward once more for another game.

After the sixth time she was no longer giggling and she was bored. Vladimir looked close to laughter as he watched the spectacle of his three thousand year old coven leader and friend, a fighter who had killed many over the years; lose to a child over and over again.

"You would think age would hold some form of advantage with this," Vladimir chuckled.

Stefan looked mildly irritated.

Edward, who had been observing the entire thing from the doorway of the living room, was trying hard to not smile so widely. Nessie hadn't shown any unnatural speed until now, so Stefan and herself were on equal footing, there was no reason that the former was losing other than he was bad at it.

Another slap was heard as Ness caught him again.

Edward failed at hiding his amusement and he snorted; never mind, the dark haired Romanian was absolutely terrible at it.

"Stefan? Let me try," Vladimir placed a hand on Stefan's shoulder as he stepped forward.

Renesme looked more perked up at another opponent but it was more than obvious she was tired of this children's game, she placed her hands out and Vladimir placed his fingerless gloved hands atop her small delicate ones. There was a pause where Nessie was gauging and waiting for when to catch him off guard; in a sudden quick movement, too fast for human eyes, she went to slap his hands however her hands went straight down.

Vladimir had moved and she had missed, Nessie looked a little surprised but not particularly bothered that she had lost. The blonde Romanian however looked annoyingly pleased when he glanced at Stefan whose mouth was agape.

It was only made more hilarious when Ness, having had enough, went to skip outside to go mingle with the others and Stefan followed her.

"Rematch." He protested even as she shook her head.

This behaviour continued for the rest of that day and the next.

To the point where Nessie would sigh and look tiredly at Stefan when he strolled up to her as she knew what he wanted.

He lost every single time. Vladimir kept making remarks in Romanian however it was obvious they were little jibes as he was laughing as he said them and Stefan, rather pointedly, ignored him.

Finally Nessie changed to a slightly different game; knuckles, of course hoping that he would win this one maybe. This was like first game except you use your knuckles to hit the other person's knuckles.

Stefan lost.

Even Renesmee's face fell with disappointment.

The look of grouchy annoyance became a permanent feature of Stefan's face, the look of pity on Nessie's probably did not help, nor was Vladimir who now lost all composure when it came to his friend losing and just began openly sniggering every time Stefan lost, as did whoever else saw these games.

Every time he and Vladimir came back from hunting or when Nessie woke up, he would go to her and she would see this and her tiny china doll face would look at him with sympathy and pity as she sighed when he asked yet again, for another round.

After a few more hours of more challenging to which more losses, Ness tried again with another more well known game of Rock, paper, scissors. Rock beats scissors, scissors beat paper and paper beats rock; if both players throw the same shape, the game is tied. This was explained by the dog; Jacob who was usually around the child.

Renesmee looked just as determined as Stefan, both for different reasons, Vladimir's grin was in place and Stefan was concentrating, everybody was ready.

"Right, you both go; 1, 2, 3 and then show, got it?" Jacob drawled from where he sat next to Ness, both she and Stefan were perched on the side of the settee; Vladimir was over near the book case idly glancing over at them all from the books.

"1, 2, 3, NOW!" Ness's light voice squeaked out and at the word 'now' they both showed their hand gestures.

Renesmee's tiny hand was clenched into a fist; signalling a rock.

Inwardly she sighed with relief whilst she schooled her expression into one of shock and disappointment.

Stefan had won.

Edward and Bella stood behind their daughter and Jacob, Edward trying to not smile as he knew that Nessie had deliberately moved slower than the other, and by pure luck he had finally won.

However...

"There was no speed or skill in that game," Stefan looked disinterestedly at Ness. "I want to win at the other two from before."

Vladimir silently closed his eyes and frowned looking for all the world wishing he was anywhere but here, it wasn't amusing anymore, now it was just painful.

Nessie evidently seemed to agree as she instantly feigned tiredness and look desperately to her parents to whisk her off to bed and away from the competitive Romanian.

"Another game of Knuckles," he demanded.

"Oh for God's sake!" The dog growled out, rubbing his forehead.

For once Vladimir wholeheartedly agreed with a dog.


End file.
